The Power of Celebrity Collaborations and How to Collab With Brands

Celebrity endorsements are as old as Pheidippides running from Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C. wearing his Nike sandals. Well, maybe not actually Nike, but you get the drift. Celebrity brand endorsements are nothing new, and whether we like it or not, they have become such a common factor in people’s daily lives that our world has become heavily influenced by their social commentary.

In today’s world, brands are taking their collaborations with celebrities to a whole new level. Celebrities are not merely endorsing products; they are actively participating in the creation of new product lines and engaging in long-term partnerships. This shift stems from the realization that celebrities can utilize their fame to effectively market products and extend their personal brands. Learn how our ecommerce platform can support these complex collaborations.

An excellent example of a successful celebrity collaboration is the iconic partnership between Michael Jordan and Nike. Despite retiring from professional basketball in 2003, Jordan’s brand continues to dominate the athletic apparel industry. His collaboration with Nike goes beyond a simple endorsement; it has transformed him into a brand in his own right.  By understanding the power of celebrity collaborations and harnessing their potential, brands can unlock new avenues for growth, expand their reach, and establish themselves as trendsetters in their respective industries. Explore our successful case studies to see how we’ve helped brands achieve similar feats.

Let’s explore some of our favorite brand partnerships and endorsement examples, discuss strategies for getting celebrities to wear your brand, and learn how to identify the most suitable celebrity partnerships for your business.

The Best Brand Partnership Examples and Celebrity Collaborations

Brands collaborate with celebrities for a variety of reasons, including leveraging their popularity and influence, gaining credibility and visibility with the target audience, and generating buzz around their products. To further enhance these efforts, integrating marketing automation benefits can help brands manage these collaborations more effectively, ensuring that every aspect of the campaign is optimized for maximum impact. Some of our favorite successful celebrity collaborations include:

Rihanna and Puma

Grammy award-winning artist Rihanna went beyond a simple spokeswoman role with PUMA when she became a brand ambassador for an entire women’s line overseeing collaborations in apparel, footwear, and accessories. Beginning in 2015, when she released her first footwear collaboration, the Creeper, which sold out within hours of its presale launch, she has since created an entire fashion line called FENTY PUMA by Rihanna. Based on her experiences growing up and having to wear uniforms to school, she wanted to create a line that was completely different and fun. Not only has the brand collaboration been praised by fashion critics and bloggers alike, but PUMA has also had over a 180% increase in searches on their site since the collaboration began. Learn more about our services studio that can help create such impactful collaborations.

A$AP Rocky and Guess

GUESS teamed up with rapper A$AP Rocky for a fashion collaboration, creating a collection of apparel and accessories for both men and women based on his well-known style and interest in the fashion industry. Focusing on the $ to replace the “S” in throwback 90s GUESS patterns, the nostalgic line utilized his platform to “show kids what they missed out on.”

David Guetta and GH Mumm Champagne

In 2014, Maison Mumm announced a collaboration with world-famous DJ David Guetta. Together, they redesigned the famous G.H.Mumm Cordon Bouge champagne bottle. The special limited edition collector’s bottle was a perfect fit to leverage Guetta’s brand. It featured a platinum design that emulates a mirror to reflect nightlife and DJ LED lights to create a stunning and attractive effect. G.H.Mumm launched the limited-edition champagne with Guetta’s new music video Dangerous.  The collaboration is a perfect example of how a luxury brand can position its product with a celebrity that appeals to a valuable target audience. The champagne was sold in nightclubs to command a premium price markup, fit the environment, and the packaging grabbed the attention of anyone on the dance floor.

Taylor Swift and Keds Footwear

Keds Footwear collaborated with Taylor Swift in 2013 to develop a sneaker line featuring some of Swift’s favorite things, including mini guitars and polka dots alternating with paw prints. Swift’s audience loved the sneakers because they helped them connect with their favorite artist. The variety of designs at an affordable price meant they could purchase multiple sneaker designs without breaking the bank. The collection was available worldwide on Keds.com, TaylorSwift.com, Nordstrom.com, and Journeys.com. All styles were only $50, and each pair featured a silver heart of Swift’s favorite number, 13, or a guitar pick with Swift’s logo. Keds perfectly leveraged their partnership with Swift to appeal to a specific target audience and give them sneakers that incorporated their idol’s favorite things to create a unique, tangible appeal.

Fashion Nova and Cardi B

And we would be remiss to leave out Fashion Nova’s collaboration with Cardi B. The “Bodak Yellow” rapper who turned her social media clout into a successful music career, sold out her first line of 82 styles raking in over $10M last November, while her latest line sold out within minutes of its release making over $1M in under 24 hours.

Top Celebrity Partnerships and Celebrity Endorsements of 2023

There have already been many remarkable celebrity partnerships and endorsements in 2023. Here are four notable examples of ecommerce celebrity partnerships and endorsement deals that have made a significant impact this year:

• Nike and Billie Eilish: Pop icon Billie Eilish teams up with Nike to introduce a collaboration featuring a new signature shoe made from leftover material waste, taking action to create a more sustainable world. 
• Our Place and Selena Gomez: Actor, musician, and passionate cook, Selena Gomez teamed up with Our Place as their first celebrity partner, introducing a new collaboration featuring Gomez-curated hues of electric blue azul and lush berry rosa for their Perfect Pot, Always Pan, and plate sets. 

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• L’Oreal Paris x H.E.R.: Bonafide beauty influencer and singer-songwriter H.E.R. joins the diverse L’Oréal Paris family of ambassadors as its newest global spokesperson. She recently promoted their Elvive Dream Lengths Curls product line while showing off her gorgeous strands. 
• Gucci x Harry Styles: Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, and pop megastar, Harry Styles teamed up to release their new HA HA HA collection, featuring a variety of avant-garde apparel. 

Why Do Brands Collaborate with Celebrities

Celebrity brand deals are effective for several reasons. Firstly, celebrity partnerships allow brands to leverage the popularity and influence of well-known individuals, gaining credibility and visibility with their audience. Celebrities’ personal brand image often resonates with a brand’s target audience, fostering an authentic connection and trust.  Collaborations provide a platform for creative storytelling and can expand brand reach into new markets. When celebrities are seen wearing a brand’s product, it generates buzz and drives sales making it a worthwhile investment for many brands. 

How To Get Celebrities to Wear Your Brand

Securing celebrity endorsements can significantly boost brand visibility and credibility. To help you navigate this process effectively, here are six ways to get celebrities to wear your brand:

• Collaborate with Stylists and Influencers: Build relationships with celebrity stylists and influential individuals in the fashion industry who have direct access to stars, as they can play a vital role in introducing your brand to the right people.
• Create High-Quality Products: Develop exceptional products that align with celebrity aesthetics and values. Ensuring superior quality and unique design can attract attention and make your brand more appealing to celebrities.
• Engage on Social Media: Leverage social media platforms to engage with celebrities by tagging them in relevant posts, sharing user-generated content featuring your brand, and fostering genuine connections through meaningful interactions.
• Offer Customized Experiences: Provide personalized experiences to celebrities, such as tailored gift packages, exclusive previews, or customized products, which demonstrate your brand’s attention to detail and make them feel valued.
• Sponsor Events and Red Carpets: Support high-profile events, award shows, and red carpet occasions where celebrities are likely to attend. Consider providing product placement opportunities or sponsoring gifting suites to increase visibility and catch their attention.
• Utilize PR and Media Outreach: Develop strategic PR marketing campaigns targeting key media outlets and journalists to generate buzz around your brand. Positive media coverage can capture the interest of celebrities and lead to organic brand partnerships.

How to Find the Best Target Celebrity Partnerships

Brand collaborations are nothing new, especially in the fashion world. We can help your brand leverage exciting celebrity partnerships to help drive sales. Take, for example, Nogin’s partnership with Blue-Star and Bebe Rexha. The two-time Grammy-nominated artist, Bebe Rexha, partnered up with fashion brand bebe for their empowering national marketing campaign ‘BEBE LOVES BEBE’. The branding campaign was created to celebrate the powerful idea of loving and accepting yourself, feeling incredible at any time, all the time. With the help of Nogin, Rexha has been appearing in the brand’s Fall 2019 campaign, which has been running throughout the U.S. on social media, out of home, and in print since the launch of Vogue’s September issue. Contact us to schedule a conversation to learn how we can help you connect with the right celebrity partners and our comprehensive ecommerce package, Commerce-as-a-Service (CaaS). Our Intelligent Commerce solution supercharges Shopify Plus and includes a market-leading customer data platform with machine-learning capabilities, algorithmic merchandising, and smart promotion optimization. There are no upfront replatforming costs, and instead of waiting for up to a year to complete the migration, we can get you live in under eight weeks! Here are a few of the many benefits you can expect from plugging into Intelligent Commerce:

• AI-Powered Customer Segmentation: Build and optimize customer segments by leveraging over ten years of anonymized data mined from Nogin’s CaaS technology.
• Algorithmic Merchandising: Automatically extend native merchandising capabilities with sophisticated features predicting both shopper behavior and inventory constraints.
• Smart Promotion Optimization: Maximize campaign potential with channel-sensitive, self-optimizing A/B testing and campaign optimization features and automatically create coupons and other infrastructure required for testing.
• Enhanced Shopify Theme: Our Luminate Theme is endlessly customizable and comes pre-linked with many of the top apps—including Klayiyo, Yotpo, Postscript, and Nosto—making integration a breeze and eliminating the need to pay for a development agency.
• Enterprise-Level Tools: Intelligent Commerce supercharges Shopify with over 40 market-leading features that improve conversions, reduce customer acquisition costs, and lower shipping and returns costs.

Nogin is a different approach to enterprise ecommerce, and the results speak for themselves:

• Conversion rates improve by an average of 40% on our platform.
• Marketing spend efficiency increases by 30% with our CDP.
• Brands grow 40% on average in their first year after switching to Intelligent Commerce.

Learn more about our ecommerce platform and services, and check out some more of our expert ecommerce content below:

• Tips to Reduce Ecommerce Return Rates
• Retail Pricing Strategies for Ecommerce
• The Ultimate Ecommerce Conversion and Marketing Funnel
• The Most Important Ecommerce Key-Performance Indicators (KPIs) 
• Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Ecommerce Fulfillment 
• Ecommerce Keyword Research
• Product Listing Strategies

Celebrity Collaborations FAQ

How do I choose a celebrity endorsement?

When selecting a celebrity for endorsement, prioritize these factors:

1. Relevance: Ensure the celebrity’s image aligns with your brand values and appeals to your target audience.
2. Credibility and Appeal: Choose a celebrity with a positive public image and genuine influence.
3. Engagement: Assess the celebrity’s social media engagement to ensure they have active, attentive followers.
4. Endorsement History: Consider celebrities with successful endorsements in similar markets.
5. Cost Effectiveness: Analyze the costs versus the potential return on investment.
6. Long-Term Potential: Opt for celebrities open to long-term partnerships for sustained brand impact.

These steps will help you choose a celebrity who can effectively boost your brand’s visibility and credibility.

Why do people use celebrity endorsements?

Celebrity endorsements leverage the fame and credibility of stars to enhance brand visibility and appeal. These endorsements tap into the celebrity’s fan base, bringing instant brand awareness and potentially boosting sales. For example, endorsements by globally recognized figures like Brad Pitt have helped brands like Toyota overcome cultural barriers and reach broader audiences. The endorsement implies a celebrity’s personal approval, enhancing consumer trust and accelerating purchasing decisions.

How do you get celebrities to wear your brand?

To attract celebrities to wear your brand, start by identifying celebrities whose interests align with your target market. Use resources like ContactAnyCelebrity.com to find their contact information and reach out to their gatekeepers, typically their publicist or manager, with a personalized pitch that highlights the uniqueness and quality of your products. Offer customized experiences or exclusive items that resonate with their personal style. Follow up to ensure they received your products and monitor any public endorsements they might provide, utilizing these for marketing leverage.